As an obstetrician-gynecologist at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Dr. Shah cares for patients at critical life moments that range from childbirth to primary care to surgery. As a scientist and social entrepreneur, he is a globally recognized expert in designing, testing, and spreading solutions that improve healthcare.

Dr. Shah is listed among the “40 smartest people in health care” by the Becker’s Hospital Review and has been profiled by the New York Times, CNN, and other outlets. He is senior author of the book Understanding Value-Based Healthcare (McGraw-Hill), which Don Berwick has called “an instant classic” and Atul Gawande called “a masterful primer for all clinicians.” Prior to joining the Harvard faculty, Dr. Shah founded Costs of Care, a global NGO that curates insights from clinicians to help delivery systems provide better care. In 2017, Dr. Shah co-founded the March for Moms Association, a coalition of 20 leading organizations, to increase public and private investment in the well-being of mothers.

Session

Friday, July 20

Designing Systems to Improve Care for Every Mother, Everywhere

For families who are in the exciting but vulnerable phase of their lives that spans pregnancy, childbirth, and early parenting, our care systems are unreliable and often inadequate. In the United States, we are excellent at responding to emergencies. But in every geographic corridor of the country and every segment of society, avoidable suffering occurs because the system of care is not currently designed to deliver on a broader set of goals beyond emergency response.

This keynote session is about how we can design a system that ensures every person can start or grow their family with dignity by accessing childbirth care that is safe, supportive, and empowering.